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Free for All: So what else can you get for 150 dollars?
Recently, fans of the upcoming MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic had the pleasure of plopping down 150 clams to pre-order a special collectors edition of their favorite game they have never played. I've seen this before, and have even pre-ordered a few in my day (I'm looking at you, giant Warhammer Online box.) Pre-orders are the oldest form of virtual goods...they were cash-shops before cash-shops appeared in every game. The funnest part is seeing hardcore cash-shop haters gladly paying huge sums of money for a robot pet or a cool looking cape. Somehow, they see it as a different thing altogether than buying a shiny mount or pink dress from in-game. Still, I understand the impulse. I get it every time I am in the check-out lane and the new flavors of gum have been released. Even worse is when one of my favorite games releases new items in their cash shop. New mounts, housing goods, heck even new weapons or stat-increasing potions...they make me drool. So, I decided to take a 150 dollar budget and see what I could get for it. Click past the cut and let's look at the list!
Battlestar Galactica Online unveils new Brimir Class Carrier
Bigpoint Games has announced that Battlestar Galactica Online will be welcoming a new addition to its fleet of ships this fall. The new arrival comes in the form of the Brimir Class Carrier, a rather hefty tier 4 ship. The ship is a relic of earlier Colonial designs, most of which were eventually replaced by Battlestars. The Carrier, however, brings its own unique surprises to the table. Its heavy armor allows the Brimir Class Carrier to survive enemy onslaughts while it deploys squadrons of strike craft to overwhelm opposing ships. Whether these strike craft will be controlled by AI or players is to be determined, but players will be able to send their strike craft after specific targets. The novel fleet support vessel will be available for purchase with cubits (in-game currency that can be earned via gameplay or bought with cash) coming this fall.
Battlestar Galactica Online sheds "beta" tag
Bigpoint announced today that its game Battlestar Galactica Online has dropped its "beta" tag and is now wearing the big-boy pants of a fully launched game. Since its open beta release less than five months ago, the game has garnered over three million registered users, so it's probably safe to say the game is indeed ready to move out of beta. What does this mean for the future of the game? Well, it's simple really: It means that the BSGO team is shifting its focus away from optimization and patches and will instead be zeroing in on adding new content and features to the game. For more information about Battlestar Galactica Online, or to sign up to give the game a go for yourself, head on over to the official site.
Battlestar Galactica Online launches private 1v1 battles
Bigpoint broke all the conventional rules when creating Battlestar Galactica Online as a browser-based MMO. Now, the developers are continuing to improve on this unique title by giving players the ability to challenge other players in PvP matches. These instanced matches can be 1v1 duels or ranked dogfights with members of the same or opposite faction, adding a little bit more excitement in the search for Earth. If you're into PvP for the pure sport of it, you can duel any consenting player of any faction, rating, ship size, or class in a private 1v1 match. However, if your into the rewards or you want to prove that you are indeed the best, join in the ranked matches. The game's matchmaking system pairs up players of similar arena rating, ship size, and class in their own private portion of space for a battle to the death. The top 100 on the Top Gun Leaderboard will be recognized with a special icon above the pilot and ship name. And when you're playing BSGO with the three million other registered players, check out the two new star systems in the Veil Sector: Nilfhel and Muspell. These two areas contain high-level NPCs for you and your allies to conquer. For more information, visit the official website, or better yet, just play the game. It's free!
MMObility: Fifty games for the mobile lifestyle
I like lists. Lists help keep my candy-coated brain functioning. I see so many games, devices, and developers that I need to write things down periodically or become lost. Not so long ago I made a list of 25 games for your shiny new laptop, but I wanted to update it with other devices as well. I'd like to clarify the devices I have, though, especially since it was brought to my attention that a lot of players use laptops as their primary gaming machines. When I refer to a laptop, it is far from a gaming machine and could not run games like EverQuest II or Age of Conan. So here are some stats: I have an HTC Inspire, an iPhone 3GS, an iPad, a Phenom Triple-core PC desktop with an Nvidia 9800 card, six gigs of ram and onboard sound. My laptop is an HP G62 with an AMD Athlon II P340 dual core processor, three gigs of ram and an AMD graphics chip built in. I also have a more powerful gaming PC, but that is often referred to as "the wife's machine" around here, and it is so packed with her items that I rarely touch it. So most of these games can be run on their native devices, and if they are meant for PC, probably on netbooks as well. When I'm playing on netbooks, resolution is often the major issue. Some games just will not fit on the tiny screens without some slight modding. Anyway, click past the cut to see the list. The first 11 are my favorites, the ones that I play often, if not every day. The rest are in no particular order, so keep that in mind as well. Remember that this year is going to be an incredible one for mobile, thanks to the new games I found at E3. So this list will change!
Bigpoint and Mail.Ru partnering for global distribution deal
Bigpoint and Mail.Ru Group have just announced a corporate partnership that aims to bring titles from each publisher to new prospective markets. Bigpoint, a browser MMO specialist most famous for its free-to-play Battlestar Galactica title, will bring its games to Mail.Ru's Russian-speaking audience via the latter's existing portal delivery service. Similarly, Bigpoint users will find Mail.Ru titles like GodsWar Online accessible via the Bigpoint website. Bigpoint games will also be making their way to Mail.Ru's Odnoklassniki and My World social networking services. "As successful browser-game providers, Bigpoint.com and Mail.Ru are a match made in heaven. We're happy to expand both our game portfolio and our international network of partners at the same time," said Bigpoint CEO Nils Holger Henning in a recent press release.
The MMO Report: Casey says frak edition
This week's MMO Report is all about Casey's ego. Not one shred of MMO news bullied its way onto the show this week, unless you count a story about Battlestar Galactica Online reaching two million subscribers as news. OK, maybe you can count Age of Conan going free-to-play, or maybe the newest Minecraft update is technically news. Perhaps Perfect World Entertainment buying Cryptic Studios would be considered news, too. But let's not forget: The MMO Report is really about Uncle Casey's Mail Bag. So that is exactly what will fill the rest of this post. The Mail Bag this week is all about love, love, and memes. Fans share their love for each other, love for Casey, and love for Morgan Webb. Yes, she's been gone for two weeks, but apparently Casey's manly smell has not ousted the memory of the time Morgan hosted the MMO Report. One fan has not forgotten; he was so inspired that he created a meme about it just to show how much he cared. Jump past the break if you are interested in catching a glimpse of Casey Schreiner's ego. We have the full video ready to go. Maybe you will catch the news that we missed while staring at Casey's incredible beard.
Battlestar Galactica Online surpasses 2 million players
Much like the Colonial Fleet itself, Battlestar Galactica Online just keeps on rolling. Already cited as the company's biggest launch to date, BigPoint has announced that the free-to-play, browser-based MMO has garnered more than two million registered players in its first three months of availability. Managing director Rob Ollett stated, "At just three-months in we're at a point now where we can shift the majority of our attention to adding new content and addressing the community's wish list," implying that the game has made enough (star) bucks to focus on new challenges.
Bigpoint announces two million player mark for Battlestar Galactica Online
Bigpoint announced today that its sci-fi MMOG Battlestar Galactica Online, based on the immensely popular Syfy series of the same name, has reached two million registered players in its first three months of service. The free-to-play game has been under constant construction since its launch, with the addition of new ships for both the Colonial and Cylon factions, the introduction of the Merit system (which "enables the purchase of high-value items like nuclear missiles"), and even the ability for players to pilot their factions' trademark capital ships. What's next for BSGO? Rob Ollett, managing director at Bigpoint International, has this to say: "With BSGO continuing to achieve new benchmarks and receive such a strong positive response from the fans, we're excited to take its development to the next level. At just three-months in we're at a point now where we can shift the majority of our attention to adding new content and addressing the community's wish list." To join the exciting, paranoia-fueled (ohgodohgodohgod who's a Cylon!?) universe of Battlestar Galactica Online, head on over to the official site.
One Shots: Battlestar Galactica Online
Today's One Shots illustrates something that the MMO world is learning pretty quickly: You can find great-looking games right in your browser window. Dezmo has been enjoying Battlestar Galactica Online: Dezmo here, checking in from the Beta Antini System. If you haven't had a chance to check out Bigpoint's browser based space game, it would be a great idea if you did. Behind me is a human outpost ship, one of the many moons and the blazing light from a star. My Rhino is in the foreground. It's quite a hearty little ship. Off to make some Cylons pay! Sci-fi week continues tomorrow: Are you loving Perpetuum? Immersed in Battlestar Galactica Online? Beta testing Black Prophecy? Let your favorite sci-fi game strut its stuff this week by sending a great screenshot to us at oneshots@massively.com. Include your your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing, and we'll post it up and give you the thanks! %Gallery-112285%
Controlling share in Bigpoint purchased for $350 million
The prolific MMO developer Bigpoint is answering to couple of new bosses today. According to Gamasutra, Summit Partners and TA Associates have banded together to heavily invest in the company -- and by doing so, to take a controlling share in Bigpoint. The two firms, which are now on the board of directors, have jointly invested $350 million into Bigpoint. These funds will recapitalize the studio and expand its presence worldwide. Bigpoint founder and CEO Heiko Hubertz, who controls 30 percent of the company, appears optimistic: "The investment by TA Associates and Summit Partners is a validation of Bigpoint's leadership position within the gaming industry, and will give us a huge boost toward becoming one of the most successful gaming companies worldwide." Bigpoint has a wide portfolio of titles including Battlestar Galactica Online, DarkOrbit, and the upcoming Drakensang Online.
Battlestar Galactica Online passes one million player milestone
Bigpoint's browser-based Battlestar Galactica Online is a certifiable hit according to a new press release touting the fact that the title recently surpassed one million registered players. The milestone comes a scant six weeks after the launch of BSGO's open beta period and dovetails nicely with the news that the game is getting an engine upgrade as well as new ship content. "There is always a risk when you translate a well-known IP into another medium. We built what we believed was a recipe for success; a fantastic gaming experience inspired by an iconic show, with the added benefit of being a free-to-play title," explains Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz. Head to the official Battlestar Galactica Online website for more info on the game and the new upgrades.
Battlestar Galactia Online gets a face-lift and more
Battlestar Galactica Online has already made headway in the MMO community because of its quality, yet it is completely playable in-browser. In an announcement today, the team at Bigpoint decided to give the players a taste of what is to come in the next update -- and it's all about rewards. First up, the developers apologized for taking so long with the update; the delay is due to their upgrades to the Unity engine. In the update blog released today, they said, "This was a big step forwards for the game, and Battlestar Galactica Online is now better looking, smoother and more stable than ever before." Unfortunately, as a result of all the time spent on upgrades, not all the big bugs have been addressed, but the team promises to get right on those. So what was implemented? Merits are the PvP currency for BSGO, and with them you can buy either the Viper Mk VII or the Cylon War Raider. You can also gain the much-desired ability to command a Battlestar or Basestar. Secondly, you may now exchange water for cubits. The team is certain this one will be a hit among players. Lastly, rewards such as XP and loot have been scaled according to player level: higher-level players will now receive fewer rewards for low-level "easy" kills. For the full story, jump to the developer update on the official website.
Battlestar Galactica Online was BigPoint's biggest game launch
Though the series has been off the air for a few years now, the popularity of Battlestar Galactica is still very much alive in the hearts of Sci-Ficionados across the world. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry, BigPoint CCO Nils-Holger Henning said that the launch of its free-to-play MMO based on the intergalactic television series has had "the best start we've ever had with a game in Bigpoint's history." He expects the title to rake in over €1 million in revenue per month. Henning attributed the success of Battlestar Galactica Online to community involvement, saying, "They've been so interested in the brand and what's going to happen with the game." Sure, that's one possible solution. Personally, we think people are flocking to the game after witnessing mankind's defeat in Jeopardy at the hands of an unfeeling computer, and want to start figuring out how to best fight them in space. This future is real, friends -- it's time to get educated.
Bigpoint says Battlestar Galactica Online's launch is company's best ever
Bigpoint's Battlestar Galactica Online is a major hit according to company CCO Nils-Holger Henning. In a new interview at GamesIndustry.biz, Henning relates how BSGO feedback has given developers and executives a read on community reaction to the free-to-play title. "The feedback we've had, the activity inside of the game -- from the user behavior -- shows us that we're building one of the next blockbusters in Bigpoint's portfolio." What exactly does that mean? Henning defines a Bigpoint blockbuster as having potential revenues of over 1 million GBP (approximately 1.626 million USD) per month. Henning chalks up BSGO's success to the recognizable brand and the sizable fan base associated with it, as well as the company's efforts to play up the advancements in browser technology. "We've been working with games-related websites more, going for the hardcore gamers, and showing them what's now possible in the browser," he explains. Finally, he cites BSG producer Ronald Moore's involvement as a positive and explains how Moore's stamp of approval allowed Bigpoint to "stay close to the series."
Bigpoint's Battlestar Galactica Online just the beginning of its master plan
In the Battlestar Galactica TV reimagining, the Cylons were infamous for having an overarching plan for their domination of the galaxy. Likewise, Bigpoint's plan for the newly-launched Battlestar Galactica Online is far more than it might first appear. For starters, the SyFy channel -- which is hosting the game on its website -- plans to aggressively run commercials promoting BSGO to the public. According to Gamasutra, Bigpoint itself is in a state of rapid growth with the recent acquisition of the former employees of Planet Moon for its relatively new San Francisco office. This newly combined workforce numbers over 80, and CEO Heiko Hubertz has them all mostly working on two major IPs: "We didn't acquire the company; we just took over the employees. So almost 40 of them are now working for us, and they're working mainly on Battlestar and The Mummy." Bigpoint's plan to tackle the North American market diverges from its European strategy by focusing on high-quality, multi-million dollar budget browser titles -- and so far, it's paid off, as the company is in the black. Hubertz thinks this was a smart move: "It was very quick -- the decision, 'Okay, if we want to be successful in the U.S., we have to change our thinking about this industry.' And that's the reason why we developed games here in the U.S., that's the reason why we picked a technology like Unity to develop games of high quality." You can read up on Bigpoint's plan over at Gamasutra, and don't forget to check out our first impressions of Battlestar Galactica Online.
PSA: Battlestar Galactica Online now in open beta
Just because the show concluded back in 2009, it doesn't mean you've seen the last of Adama, Leoben and the rest of those zany survivors and the Cylons who chase them. As expected, an open beta for Bigpoint Games' space combat MMO Battlestar Galactica Online is currently underway and anyone can play. The beta's available exclusively on SyFy.com for the next six weeks. Battlestar Galactica Online takes place during an unspecified time in the television drama's run, where both Cylon and Colonial forces are trapped in a sector of space, vying for military and resource dominance. Lolcats not included. [Image credit]
Bigpoint launches Battlestar Galactica Online
SyFy's Battlestar Galactica odyssey may have ended, but Bigpoint's MMO adaptation of the beloved reboot has just begun. The free-to-play game maker has announced the official launch of Battlestar Galactica Online, a browser-based title set during the latter half of the TV show's second season. Players can choose to fight for either the Cylons or the Colonials, as both fleets are stranded in uncharted space and in need of repairs and critical supplies. This leads into a contest for nearby resources that involves space combat, exploration, and mission-based play as well as ship unlocks, customization, and market features. Bigpoint has also made use of assets from the television series including the seminal Bear McCreary musical score and the instantly recognizable ship models. How does all this hold up in a browser game? Pretty well, according to Bigpoint. "We are confident that a new standard has been achieved -- no longer should browser games be considered sub-par to their console or PC-installed counterparts," says CEO Heiko Hubertz.
Battlestar Galactica Online jumps to open beta Feb. 8
Bigpoint Games is getting its space combat MMO based on Syfy's Battlestar Galactica reboot ready for open beta on February 8. Currently in closed beta, the browser-based Battlestar Galactica Online will let PC and Mac players live out their fantasies of piloting Vipers -- or Cylon Raiders, if you're secretly a toaster -- free-of-charge, with gameplay and cosmetic enhancements available for unlock with Colonial credits real cash money. The beta will be accessible from the US and Europe via servers located on the West Coast, East Coast and one in the EU. Though the game will include language options for English, French, German, Polish, Turkish Italian, Russian and Spanish, English will be the only dialect permissible in chat. Bigpoint hasn't said wether or not the word "frak" will be filtered.
The MMO Report: Newstastic edition
Welcome back! This week on The MMO Report, Casey Schreiner and the team at G4TV are serving up a heaping helping of highlights, as the news has been crazy busy during the last week. Up first, Casey points out the sales numbers for DC Universe Online, which has been flying off shelves. From there, it's on to Bigpoint Games' upcoming free-to-play browser-based Battlestar Galactica Online, which will either enthrall space-drama fiends, or just give people a reason to say "frak" a lot. Zipping along, it's on to Eskil Steenberg's LOVE, which went through an upgrade while narrowly avoiding a random Craigslist hookup. Also included are tidbits on an upcoming short documentary on the making of Minecraft, as well as an interesting piece on the MMORPGRTS alphabet soup of Reverie World Studios' upcoming game Dawn of Fantasy. Finally, this week ends out, as most weeks do, with Casey rifling through the best (or worst; we're not quite sure) to be found in Uncle Casey's Mailbag. For all the excitement and more, you can check out this week's episode of The MMO Report embedded for your ocular and aural pleasure behind the break, or catch it every Thursday on G4TV.
